


An Untitled Lotura

by AlixxBlack



Series: Trope Challenge [11]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Arranged Marriage AU, Canon Divergent, F/M, Lotura - Freeform, lotor x allura, slight ooc allura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-07 10:00:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21456190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlixxBlack/pseuds/AlixxBlack
Summary: Trope #18 of 30, per the list seen on Twitter in a series of tweets by @ selpukuPrompt: fantasy+arranged marriage AU: ‘I’m  an heir of Kingdom A and I’m gonna be married to you, the heir of Kingdom B because my kingdom is weak/poor and your kingdom is stronger but we both don’t like it (at first)’A/N: I took some liberties with the prompt and barely address, but it is the general basis of the story, I swear!
Relationships: Allura/Lotor (Voltron)
Series: Trope Challenge [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1534436
Kudos: 10





	An Untitled Lotura

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not write in the Voltron fandom often, and I do not like Allura personally, so this was a huge step outside of my comfort zone. It is my hope that I have embodied her well for you!
> 
> Disclaimer(b): All of the proper rights are reserved to the appropriate parties, and no profit is resulting from the posting of this piece.

**T-3 Weeks**

“This is our only option, Allura,” Shiro’s voice is grave and serious, though it often was, but I can’t believe what he was suggesting regardless. The idea is preposterous! Does he really think that this was the only solution? Did he even explore other options?

It is Lance who protests first, not that I’m surprised. “No way. Allura is not just some weapon we can trade off for our own safety. That is basically human trafficking!”

Quickly, Hunk agrees, and reminds Shiro that I am just as vital to the success of this team. I am humbled by their kind words, but I can’t let them make my case for me. I have to make it for myself. Shiro needs to know what I think.

“Not only is there no guarantee that Lotor would be receptive to this prospect, but there’s no guarantee that agreeing to do this would even make things better for our people. Or any people, for that matter! Just because you stand me next to him in front of a throne doesn’t mean that I can change his heart. I can’t save lives when I am on his side.”

Keith disagrees. “Having someone on this inside has always benefited us in the long run. We are the only safehouse community that is still standing strong against Loto’s forces. That’s not because he has a soft spot for us, either. It’s because we’ve been able to get someone in and out so that we know what to expect and when it is coming. Putting someone right at his side could give us the leverage we need to get more people safely into the ranks and start making big changes.”

And then Pidge chimes in, too. “This could be pivotal in the fight against Lotor. I know it might not be ideal, and it might not be the only option, but it is certainly the best option that we have right now.”

Shiro builds from what Pidge says. “The numbers are not good, and they’ve been getting worse for months. Every success that we’ve had is only slowing what is an inevitable loss. We can get ahead of Lotor by thinking outside the box. He wants a companion at his side, and he has expressed an intrigue about you in the past. We can come out of left field with this proposal.”

“This isn’t going to work,” I say calmly, even if I feel defeat in my veins. “This isn’t going to work and it’s going to be at the cost of many lives.”

**T-1 Week**

Lance was keeping me company as I ‘planned’ the ceremony with other members in the community. Despite having no choice in this arrangement, I want to have control over something. There will be pictures, there will be streaming, and there will be memories linked to this entire event. If it must happen for the “greater good,” as Shiro continues to insist, then I want the illusion of happiness to be as real as possible.

Lotor would come with extensive protection to ensure his safety and our cooperation. I showed him around the community with prying eyes, making small talk with him about what we have done to remain so secure without alluding too much into our other tactics. I was surprised when he dropped in a few compliments throughout our bland conversations.

Tonight, however, I am traveling back to his ship. There are arrangements that must be made aboard his vessel and so I am sent with a team to tend to them. The people I am responsible for are not allowed to dine with us, per Lotor’s personal request, and so when we are enjoying a beautiful meal alone. I don’t care for it, but the air in the room isn’t as dense as it had been the first time I was alone with the universe’s most notorious menace.

“I did not request you,” Lotor says abruptly.

“I know,” I tell him. He hasn't even asked or suggested anything to the public. There was just feedback from our scouts stating that he was feeling lonely. His continued longing for a companion and a meaningful relationship were becoming increasingly obvious.

No, I knew it wasn’t him. This idea was Shiro’s and Shiro’s alone. There may never come a time I don’t resent him for backing me into a corner.

Sighing, Lotor sets his silverware down and plans his hands in his lap. I can’t say what he’s thinking, though I think I can make a few assumptions about it. If he wants me to know that he didn’t ask for this, then he can only be thinking about a handful of things.

Still, instead of guessing, I wait for him to open up to me. Making assumptions is something I could never afford in these terrifying times, and something that will be dangerous if I allow myself to explore the possibilities that come with assumptions. Besides, if this is going to happen, it will only make things worse between us. If I am to accomplish what Shiro believes I can, I need to  _ try _ to have Lotor on my side.

“Everyone needs someone that loves them,” he admits slowly, almost as if he is actually speaking to the room than to me. “Even me.”

For a moment, I let go of everything I know about Lotor, and all of the bad that he’s done. This is something that I once wanted for myself. When I woke to find that I had no family… As I got to know Team Voltron… I didn’t feel as though I had anyone that truly loved me and cared about my wellbeing. More than once I considered giving up.

And so, because I know I can, I offer comfort. “It is natural to feel that way, and I assure you that there is nothing wrong to want that for yourself.”

Smiling, Lotor nods his head. He doesn’t continue eating, though, and eventually excuses himself from the room entirely. I am left to finish my meal on my own. Though, I don’t really consider that a bad thing.

**T-0 (The Ceremony)**

Every step forward causes me physical pain. My instincts tell me to turn around and run back down the aisle. I want to run away from Lotor and damn the consequences of abandoning the plan. Despite knowing what the benefits could be if I can make myself be okay with this, I know the judgment I will receive from the outsiders.

Another cruel twist of events is that Shiro thought would help me is that he is having Coran be the officiant.  _ “It will give you comfort having someone you know standing up there and supporting your sacrifice,”  _ as if he could even fathom was it is like to give your life to something but have to live through the hell of losing it.

Giving up your life when you’re still alive should be a crime.

Lotor doesn’t take his eyes off of me. The look he is giving me is genuine and it makes me fight through all of my natural instincts. I have no idea how he’s feeling, but if he can care about me for even a second, then I have to be willing to try to make this work.

Not this, like the relationship I have with him now, but the plan.

I have to make the plan work.

Coran goes through the vows and makes the wedding ceremony as painless as possible. Lotor stumbles over his words and is visibly nervous, which humbles me greatly. When I am giving my affirmations and commitment to Lotor, I am surprised by the ease with which I am pushing my words out.

Lotor does not lean in to kiss me, but rather takes a very deep bow. Everyone in the room is clapping gently, many unsure how they should feel about this union. I know how many people in the safehouse feel betrayed by my agreement to this arranged marriage. Others understand, but still do not like what I have done. I assure them that I feel no differently when I am with them.

When Lotor stands he steps in and offers his arm so that we can leave the room as husband and wife. Rejecting him at this point is futile, so I accept with a short curtsy, and then proceed back down the aisle as a descendant of the man who destroyed my entire race.

I proceed back down the aisle as a traitor.

**T+1 Week**

Lotor and I share a bedroom, but he has gone through extensive measures to make it feel as separate as possible. I can sleep privately, change privately, and have a completely separate bathroom for myself. It took a lot of work, I heard from some of his serving staff, but Lotor never makes it sound like an inconvenience when I express my gratitude for privacy.

I’ve been making sure to let Lotor know that our marriage is formal and nothing more. Even though we know that these are the pretenses behind our marriage, companionship was the agreement. It was a non-negotiable term of the arrangements. As such, we enjoy every meal together, and we must appear in public together at least once per day. Yesterday we made a schedule. Four days a week I will appear with him as he arranges his troops, makes tactical plans, and makes broadcasts. The other three days a week are spent tending to the safehouse community and ensuring that measures are being taken to expand the community.

After I change into my pajamas, I find that I am craving company. After spending time in the community with people that I know and care about, sitting silently on my bed with nothing else to do is suddenly harder than it’s been in the previous days. Though I am trying to ignore my need to fill the silence, I am tossing and turning and rolling about to physically shake off the feeling.

I’m not successful.

“Lotor?” I call out, loud enough to be heard but soft enough not to draw him over to my half of the room.

“Yes?” he says, and I can hear that he’s at his station working. Something I’m starting to realize about Lotor is that he works constantly. I told Coran about it when I had a moment alone with him, and he said that it isn’t surprising. He said,  _ “Even those with bad intentions can show admirable work ethics. After all, even evil people had to work to be successful!” _

“How was your day?” I ask, just looking to fill the air with sound.

“Fine,” Lotor declares flatly.

“Just fine?” I ask, trying to keep the conversation going without prying for details that very well make me angry.

“I have less time to give my troops because of our arrangements, so I have to utilize every single minute I have on the ship to ensure that I am not missing anything. I don’t mind the work, but it is tiresome. Today, I have mostly read reports and met with those I left in charge,” he explains, though I’m not sure it’s an actual answer to the question I asked. Regardless, I think I understand what he means to convey.

Waiting a moment, I consider if should press him any further. Do I want to take him away from the work that he is doing? I know how much I hate it when I am disturbed. However, my purpose here is to soften Lotor’s heart. I am to find ways to make him change his ways by figuring out what makes him tick - and disrupting it.

“Have you ever taken a vacation?” I inquire.

“I have not had many reasons to believe that I can afford such a luxury, Allura. Voltron has made sure of that,” he reminds me.

“Perhaps you could benefit from one,” I say, rolling in my bed to put my back between us. My desire to have a conversation is gone. Now I only wish to go to sleep and forget this day. It’s not that it was a bad day, but it was another day as Lotor’s wife, and that is enough to exhaust me.

**T+3 Weeks**

Lotor is bent over the sink, dry heaving and sweating profusely. I woke to the sound of him groaning and throwing up. I listened for several minutes before I get up and make my way to him.

“Shall I find a medic?” I ask with the implied offer of finding someone to help him.

Lotor shakes his head.

“Are you sure?” I ask again.

I am met with the same reply.

“May I get you a glass of water and some bread, then?” Before he can reject my offer, I decide to do it anyway and head off. It is clear to me that he is not well and needs to stay in bed. This is an opportunity to create a bond with him, so when I am getting some bread and water, I also notify Lotor’s staff that he is unable to attend to his normal duties today and that, by default, they should report to her for any emergency situations needing attention.

Lotor is back in bed when I return. When I get closer with the glass and plate, he smiles. “I have decided to take a day off.”

“Have you?” I smile, putting the water and bread next to him on a nightstand. Lotor sits up and immediately downs the glass, which I am thankful can be refilled from the sink in the bathroom.

“Yes,” he declares before starting to pick at the bread.

“Is there anything that you would like me to attend to while you are in bed today?” The offer is genuine, though I know I can really use this as an opportunity to make big decisions that could help my people.

Unfortunately, Lotor takes that power away from me instantly. “I would rather have your company today. Do you like any games? Movies?”

A few things do cross my mind, and so I share them with slow intentionality. When Lotor and I find something we can agree on, I get us set up in his bed to play a card game while watching one of his favorite shows from his childhood.

“I did not get to enjoy much when I was a boy,” Lotor explains. “This was one of those few things, so I appreciate that you are willing to share it with me now.”

“It is no matter,” I say to him, and I truly mean it.

**T+5 Weeks**

Lotor is shouting and pacing in the small confines of a closet. I escorted him there after one of his generals reported losing a sector. Unbeknownst to Lotor, Voltron secretly orchestrated the rebellion, and I knew that this was going to happen soon. This is my opportunity to make a big difference.

This is my chance to help influence the way he retaliates.

This is why Shiro wanted me by Lotor’s side.

“How did this happen? None of my men suspected anything! A rebellion doesn’t form overnight! I’ll have their lives for this insolence!” Lotor’s tantrum grows louder and more intense, but I remain firmly planted in front of the door. He isn’t going out and nobody is coming in until I’ve played my hand. I need to set this up the right way.

So, very intentionally, I agree with him. “You are right.”

“What?” It stops him in his tracks, my agreement, but he looks relieved.

“There is no way a rebellion forms overnight. You’re completely right,” I say again.

“We need to find out who did this and make them pay. Nobody can challenge my authority!” Of course, what he means to imply is that he is spread too thin. There’s no possible way for him to oversee everything everywhere, though he tries very hard to do exactly that. No, what he means to say is that while it is actually possible for someone to challenge his authority, he can’t handle it. He cannot cope with the challenging of his reign.

So I propose something alternative to retaliation. “Go to them with humility and see what they need from you. Go to them with open arms and show that you do not rule with an iron fist.”

“If I let the people have autonomy then my rule fails. If I let them make their own governments then I do not have a say in the way things are being run,” Lotor argues fiercely. His tone is shifting and I fear that I may be his enemy in these moments. I could find myself dead if I do not tread carefully.

I challenge him, though. I challenge his authority to protect my life.

“You are merely giving them the illusion of autonomy. If you go in offering to adhere to their demands, they will be hesitant. You can agree to all of their terms, and then lay down your own. If they are getting what they want, then they will agree to whatever you request because it will still feel like a victory for them,” my voice is sturdy and confident. I have not felt this in control in a long time and I am excited to finally see the value in this sacrifice.

Lotor mulls over this information, muttering to himself and waving his hands around as if he were in front of a computer. Several very long minutes pass before he even makes eye contact with me again. I hold his gaze for a long time. There’s no expression to be found on his face, no secrets being revealed in his eyes, and no way of knowing if I’ve been successful in my endeavor. All I can do is wait for him to speak.

And he makes me wait for a very long time.

I turn rigid when I hear his voice again. “I trust you.”

I replay it silently in my head,  _ “I trust you.” _

This must have been what he was assessing. What has happened since our marriage? Have there been many changes or losses since my becoming his wife? Is there anything indicating that I would lead him astray? Then, of course, he considered the value of listening to my advice. How could he truly utilize this loss as a weapon to regain control.

The victory is not quite in my hands, but I can feel it in my palms. I can smell it in the air, and I can taste it when I swallow. Lotor approaches me and plans a hand over my cheek while I reel over the opportunity before me. “I trust you,” he reiterates.

“Thank you,” I say softly. There is not much I have actually done to prove my loyalty to Lotor, beyond the expected actions. I have not gone out of my way to be kind to him or lay any groundwork for big moves waiting to be made. All I have done I look at him objectively and put value in his role. The only way to make changes happen from this side of the war is the change the way I look at the board we’re fighting on.

I think Lotor means to say more, but he doesn’t. He removes his hand hesitantly and gestures to the door. I feel comfortable with the resolution we’ve reached, and so I open it for him. Lotor exits the room first and I follow closely after him. However, before anyone sees us, we are side-by-side… arm-in-arm.

**T+7 Weeks**

Two more planets started making waves with mentions of rebellions. Lotor handles this well and is allowing me to delegate certain actions so that he is not stretched too thin. I am happy to have this new role within Lotor’s ranks and amongst the rallying planets under his control. Being a double agent was never something I expected to suit me, but I find that I play the game very well.

And, as I get to Lotor better between our respective responsibilities, I am finding that I have great company as well. Lotor is hardly the monster I always thought him to be.

As it turns out, he appreciates the beauty in nature and the art that comes from one’s imagination. His favorite way to relax is to go swimming in a warm spring, and he sleeps with thick socks because it makes him feel safe. When he tells me the reason behind some of his strange habits and quirks, my heart actually aches to know the traumas that have plagued him throughout his life.

The more he tells me, the less odd it seems that he has become the man I stand before day after day.

When I am walking to turn the lights off in our bedroom, Lotor stops me. “Do you want to watch a movie with me?”

His voice is awkward and his body language is timid. It has been nearly two months since we got married, but we haven’t quite figured out how to show physical affection towards one another, since we did not marry for any romantic reason. However, our friendship is growing quickly. It is for this reason I cannot gauge Lotor’s motivations.

“That would be nice,” I say with a tone of curiosity. “Let me get my balnkets.”

Lotor doesn’t stop me from going to my bed and pulling off the cover. I also grab my giant pillow so that I can prop it behind us. It takes no time at all for us to get comfortable in Lotor’s bed and situated with a funny film playing across a large screen. After so long, Lotor is nodding off, and I can’t help but admire how peaceful he looks when he sleeps. I also can’t deny how much kinder he seems to have been since I’ve taken residence on his ship.

He simply isn’t the man I thought he was, and he has proven is very capable of change. He is not an immovable force. It is strange to believe that I ever thought such a thing.

I could move back into my own bed, and probably a week ago I would have, but right now it seems silly. I don’t actually know what my relationship is with Lotor, but I don’t feel pressured to address it either. For now, he is not a threat, and I that’s all I need to feel comfortable staying exactly where I am. So I roll away, just slightly, and bury myself underneath my covers after making sure I’ve put the excess over Lotor’s feet.

Tomorrow is a new day, and for the first time in a long time, I’m really and truly excited for it.


End file.
